Forest of Fortune

Ruland brilliantly blends the darkly comedic crime fiction sensibilities of Charles Willeford with creepy paranormal undertones %C3%A0 la Dean Koontz in his addictively readable debut, the chronicle of three hard-luck losers who try to turn their lives around in an Indian-owned casino in a remote region of Southern California. Alice is an Indian slot-tech with a horrific past whose seizures%E2%80%94and ghostly visions%E2%80%94are putting her job, and her sanity, in jeopardy. Lupita is obsessed with playing the slots. She has lost everything of value%E2%80%94namely the trust of her sister%E2%80%94but she knows that the big payday has to be right around the corner. Pemberton is an alcoholic and coke addict whose life is quickly unraveling%E2%80%94he has lost his job in advertising and his fianc%C3%A9e has dumped him. His only hope is to land a job at the casino. The existential angst in this story is palpable, and Ruland is particularly good at describing the casino's customers: "addicts, imbeciles, and thrift-store bimbos." Powered by adept characterization, darkly lyrical prose, and an unexpected but oh-so-perfect ending, this is the literary equivalent of a slot machine jackpot. (Aug.)